By 2019, music learning for children across the UK was at a 15 year low, meaning thousands of 5-10 year olds were missing out on vital personal development and self expression through music.

BBC Learning wanted to change this by creating free programming that highlighted the huge importance of every child in the UK having access to a musical education, so National Pioneers was born.

To make the content engaging and grab this young audiences attention we created a bright, fun, half shot, half animated world, where musicians across Britain could tell their stories of how they got into music, as well as introducing a new instrument from their local area.

Each region had a pioneer, from Croydon Rapper, Nadia Rose, rhyming alongside an accordion to Derry folk singer SOAK jamming with a tin whistle; these films are built to inspire young children about the history and diversity of music in the UK while offering them the chance to sing along, just like they do with their favourite programmes.

Client
BBC

Agency
TOAD

Creative Direction
Lee Bonnick

Animation + Illustrations
Lee Daniels

Editing
Jacob Crows-mains